Summit County Forest Health and Wildfire Mitigation

Summit County CSU Extension partners with many local organizations throughout the community to support forest health and wildfire mitigation education, in accordance with the Summit County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (pdf). CSU Extension also administers the Summit County Wildfire Council, which guides the implementation of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

Defensible Space

Defensible space is an area around a home or other structure where vegetation has been cleared or reduced to slow the spread of wildfire. Defensible space also creates a safe zone for firefighters to work, and it reduces the chance that a structure fire will move to the surrounding forest or other homes. Learn more about defensible space.

Community Wildfire Protection Grants

The Summit County Wildfire Council provides matching grants to eligible homeowner groups to conduct hazardous fuels reduction and other projects to protect their properties from wildfire. These funds are available through a Summit County mill levy approved by voters in 2008. Learn more about Summit County’s community wildfire mitigation grants.

Chipping Program

Summit County government and Summit County Wildfire Council are helping residents and property owners create defensible space by providing free chipping and disposal of branches, logs and small trees. If you clear woody vegetation from around your home and stack it in a slash pile, we'll chip it and haul it away for free. Learn more about the Summit County Chipping Program.